Lee molds question

[catkiller45]

I just ordered a mold from Lee for my Henry 44 and I see Lee uses a 95 percent lead to 5 percent tin. I want to recast some hard cast bullets I have that are to small diameter. What diameter do you think they will come out of the mold? Smaller or larger?. Thanks

[Tonto]

I believe the convention is that harder alloys tend to cast in a larger diameter and will be lighter in weight. Try it and see.

[Sasquatch-1]

I don't know if this will help but, the 44 molds I have, using range scrap lead testing around 18bhn, will drop large enough to take some sizing to .430.

[Castaway]

Not entirely related, but some Henry 44’s use microgroove rifling. If yours falls in that category, you may need a custom mould at 0.431” or 0.432”.

[Soundguy]

remember.. the softer the alloy.. and the larger the diameter.. the more shrinkage you get.

you are using 20:1 you could always sweeten with something with some antimony.. like a piece of linotype into the melt and get a hair harder.. thus less shrinkage. even clip on and get antimony and arsenic.. and get harder and able to be hardened and heat treated.

[gwpercle]

Not entirely related, but some Henry 44’s use microgroove rifling. If yours falls in that category, you may need a custom mould at 0.431” or 0.432”.

Easy to tell ... Catkiller45 , what cha' got in that Henry barrel , cut rifling or "Microgroove" ?

And the one thing about Lee moulds is you don't really know what they going to drop .
I seem to have better luck with the two cavity moulds casting a little larger boolit ...which is good .
Gary

[Soundguy]

If you run Lyman #2... They drop pretty much on target as marked..as many molds do
..

[243winxb]

Add antimony for larger & harder as cast. Adding some Linotype from Rotometels works for me.

[GregLaROCHE]

To really know, you need to cast some with your alloy and measure them. Lee molds don’t always cast the size they are supposed to.

[243winxb]

From Lee
Our bullet mold tolerance is stated diameter, +.003/-.000 inch. We gauge our bullet molds with a "go/nogo" gauge, which tends to result in bullet molds that run on the high side of the tolerance. You could probably use one of our standard molds at as-cast diameter with good results.